Love is Grain

Rich, creamy and oh-so-dreamy, grist are a southern superstar

By By Patrick Evans-Hylton

Dear Grits,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

No, I can’t do that, for there are as many reasons as there are grains of grits in a big, ceramic bowl, steaming hot on a cold winter morning, awaiting a gentle caress of butter and tender shower of salt and pepper.

You have been with me my whole life as a Southerner, and you have been with us as a collective nation since the very beginning when natives shared their corn porridge-making techniques with settlers.

Oh how my heart grieves when you are misunderstood, usually by Yankees, who will pay big bucks for your snooty cousin, polenta, at those fancy Eye-talian restaurants in New York, while not realizing their American cousin has so much to offer. I only need say My Cousin Vinny.

Dressed up or dressed down, you remain your charming self. So unassuming, so undemanding. So comforting, and such a part of our culture. Thank you for the memories and all the good times to come.

Your adorning fan,
Patrick

The Nitty Gritty

Grits are a perfect platform for additions—the mild flavor and rich, creamy texture allow for a number of applications, from a simple pat of butter, shake of salt and grind of pepper to the sublime like a handful of sharp, grated cheddar cheese, chopped scallions and topping of steamed shrimp.

This page requires javascript. It seems that your browser does not have Javascript enabled. Please enable Javascript and press the Reload/Refresh button on your browser.